Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To develop, oversee and co-ordinate specialized research and analysis, policy advice, and program review and development related to the Ministry's legislative, regulatory, policy and program concerns, primarily in areas of workplace injury and illness prevention and occupational health and safety legislation, regulations and programs, and also in the area of workplace safety and insurance law and policy as they relate to the prevention of injury and illness. To provide policy, legislative, regulatory and program alternatives in these areas; and to provide advice to the Deputy Minister, Chief Prevention Officer, and other senior Ministry officials in these areas, and to provide advice and proposals to the Minister and Cabinet.

Duties / Responsibilities :

The position is directly responsible for:
Providing leadership and advice with respect to complex research and analysis of policy issues and program development in the areas of workplace injury and illness prevention and occupational health and safety related to the Ministry's legislation, regulations, occupational health and safety programs, and its prevention mandate. This may include undertaking a lead role in:

- Identifying, researching, analyzing and developing social-economic policy and program proposals.
- designing, developing and utilizing quantitative methods and models to identify and analyze economic and fiscal impacts of policy and program proposals;
- analyzing and interpreting a wide range of statistical sources, including Statistics Canada data, occupational health and safety system data, and research studies and findings to support the development of new/amended policies, programs, legislation and regulations that support the government's economic agenda;
- identifying and acquiring new data sources and analytical tools to preform required micro-economic research and analysis (e.g., in relation to the underground economy and other government initiatives);
- conducting research on improved statistical or quantitative methods;
- identifying, analyzing, and providing advice on potential economic impacts of events, policies, programs and legislative or regulatory proposals which could impact on provincial economic developments (e.g. , in the case of regulatory proposals, undertaking a regulatory impact assessment to advise on the economic and business impacts of proposed regulatory changes);
- developing strategic frameworks and contributing to development of strategic plans for workplace injury and illness prevention and occupational health and safety
- developing key performance indicators and evaluation plans of the Ministry's legislation, regulations and occupational health and safety programs;
- selecting, interpreting and projecting data to develop performance targets and key performance indicators, preparing forecasts and reports, and providing recommendations and advice on social-economic trends and on the ministry's performance with respect to its strategies, policies and programs
- undertaking a review of the Ministry's legislation/regulations and developing legislative/regulatory proposals and programs that support the ministry's workplace injury and illness prevention and occupational health and safety mandates and objectives and the government's broader policy and economic agendas;
- providing advice on research methodology, research parameters, time frames and determination of research priorities, and comprehensive research analysis;
- conducting high calibre research and translating complex literature/economic analyses into commonly understood language to be used in the Ministry's development of options for legislative and regulatory change, and Cabinet Submissions;
- developing occupational health and safety programs, including the development of compliance resources that accurately reflect legislative and regulatory requirements, as required;
- leading planning, research and analysis and coordination activities to promote and support integration and horizontality across prevention and occupational health and safety system programs, planning and partners, and across intra-ministerial, inter-ministerial and inter-jurisdictional forums;
- leading and facilitating processes to review occupational health and safety issues with inter-jurisdictional communities (e.g.' CAALL and CAALL-OSH), and to identify, negotiate and develop coordinated inter-jurisdictional initiatives and solutions;
- Project management.

- Overseeing and undertaking high profile, complex and sensitive policy and program analysis in the above areas and providing expert consultative services and advice to senior Ministry officials including the Minister/Minister's Office, other Ministers, the Deputy Minister and the Chief Prevention Officer.

- Playing a lead role in complex project management involving the development of legislation, regulations and programs, and in the development and presentation of Cabinet Submissions and alternatives to advance the Ministry's prevention and occupational health and safety mandates; providing advice on their potential impact; consulting with other ministries and affected groups; monitoring and responding to policy initiatives proposed or implemented by other ministries or jurisdictions related to the prevention of workplace injury or disease, including evaluation of implications for the Ministry of Labour's activities and programs.

- Co-ordinating the analyses of emerging and current health and safety issues to advance the prevention of work-related injury and disease, including issues of interest to the Minister's Office.

- Interpreting results and examining research reports/articles with implications for policy areas noted above in no.1; providing advice and comment on the conclusions of such reports/articles. Interpreting and analyzing trends in the prevention of work-related injury and disease specifically, and workplace health and safety generally, and monitoring and supporting the progress of prevention-related projects.

- Preparing complex, politically-sensitive, non-routine correspondence, memoranda and other written material for signature of the Minister, Deputy Minister, Chief Prevention Officer and other senior Ministry officials; responding directly to enquires from other branches of the Ministry, government departments, the public, etc.

- Preparing briefing notes and presentations on policy and prevention issues for the Minister and senior officials of the Ministry; and at times leads briefing sessions as required

- Attending meetings and conferences with or on behalf of the Deputy Minister, the Chief Prevention Officer, Assistant Deputy Minister, and Director, including many of a sensitive and confidential nature; representing the Ministry on committees, task forces, and at meetings, conferences, etc.,

- Providing advice and assistance to advisors, research staff and others involved in the course of joint projects and assignments.

- Liaising with senior representatives of business, labour and government, including other governments, on behalf of the Deputy Minister, Chief Prevention Officer, Assistant Deputy Minister and other Ministry officials regarding matters of Ministry practice and policy.

- Attending meetings to brief the Deputy Minister and Minister often leading briefing sessions.
- Manager has the authority to assign additional duties.

Knowledge :

Advanced knowledge of occupational health and safety law and policy, including as it relates to the prevention of occupational illness and injury, in order to provide sound advice to senior Ministry officials on such issues; advanced knowledge of economic and statistical methods and models, and evaluation, research and analysis techniques to analyze and interpret a wide range of statistical sources, including Statistics Canada data, occupational health and safety system data, and research studies and findings to support the development of new/amended policies, programs, legislation and regulations that support the government's economic agenda; significant knowledge of Ministry occupational health and safety-related strategic plans, programs, legislation/regulation and objectives, including as they relate to prevention and the government's overall economic agenda in order to identify, research, analyze and develop socio-economic policy and program proposals, as well as to identify and analyze economic and fiscal impacts of policy and program proposals.

Superior research and analytical skills in order to assemble, evaluate and apply information to the formulation and development of policy options and occupational health and safety programs, including compliance support deliverables. Excellent communication skills, including ability to write clearly and concisely and proficiency in oral expression. Superior understanding of government policy process to lead and provide expert strategic advice on policy development, and facilitate discussions with various stakeholders on policy review. Demonstrated ability to persuade, build consensus, and obtain agreement of others. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and with senior government officials and with internal and external clients. Ability to organize and schedule work, to ensure deadlines are met and produce reliable, accurate evaluations of occupational health and .safety issues, often under severe time constraints.

Judgement :

Judgement is exercised in: accurately identifying, analyzing reaching sound conclusions, and advising on complex, multi-faceted policy, legislative, regulatory and program development matters that are potentially major, contentious and politically sensitive and which impact Ontario's labour market; assessing the impact of policy recommendations originating in other ministries, or other government jurisdictions.
Sensitivity to the political implications of various courses of action is essential in the preparation of correspondence, remarks and reports for the use of the Minister or senior Ministry officials. Excellent judgement, tact, discretion and sensitivity are vital in communicating and discussing the Ministry's position on sensitive issues with representatives of other ministries, other government, union and management representatives, members of the media and of the general public.

Accountability - Programs :

Providing sound advice and support to Deputy Minister, Chief Prevention Officer and other senior Ministry Officials and is expected to make a significant contribution to the formulation of Ministry strategic, policy and program objectives to support the Ministry's prevention and occupational health and safety objectives; planning, conducting and/or leading policy/program review, analysis and development in the areas of workplace injury and illness prevention and occupational health and safety related to the Ministry's legislation, regulations, occupational health and safety programs, and its prevention mandate.

Accountability - Finance and Materials :

Incumbent participates in the process of estimating and assessing the financial implications and economic cost impact of current, revised or proposed strategies, policies, legislation, regulations and programs.

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

research or analysis could have negative impact on Ontario's labour market. Failures or errors or omissions in performances of duties could adversely affect decisions reached by the Ministry, Deputy Minister, Chief Prevention Officer or other senior Ministry officials, impairing program delivery and Ministry policy/program objectives with potentially serious implications for the Ministry's client groups.

Contact - Internal :

Maintains regular contact with colleagues and officials, including senior officials, within the Ministry to provide information and discuss occupational health and safety and workplace injury and illness prevention-related legislative/regulatory, strategy, policy and program options, recommendations and alternatives; and to provide policy, and program advice and support, to coordinate research/analytical, and program activities.

Contact - External :

Maintains regular contact with: officials and professional associates in other ministries/agencies, officials of the federal and other provincial and territorial governments, academic and research institutions, representatives of business and labour organizations to provide, obtain and exchange information and advice on occupational health and safety and prevention strategic, policy and program issues; to explain Ministry strategy, policy, programs, practice and procedures; and to represent the Ministry effectively on committees or at meetings and conferences.